Health and Safety Policy for Harringay Cleaners
Harringay Cleaners is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for our employees, clients, visitors, contractors, and the wider public. This Health and Safety policy sets out our approach to preventing accidents and work-related ill health, managing risks associated with cleaning activities, and ensuring safe and considerate operations in all premises where we work.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment, and systems of work for all employees and to ensure that our cleaning services are delivered in a way that protects the health, safety, and welfare of everyone who may be affected. We will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry best practice for professional cleaning services.
We will continually review and improve our procedures, taking into account changes in legislation, advances in cleaning methods, feedback from clients, and learning from any incidents or near misses.
Management Responsibilities
Management at Harringay Cleaners holds overall responsibility for implementing and monitoring this Health and Safety policy. This includes:
Ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and control measures are put in place. Providing suitable equipment, materials, and personal protective equipment. Establishing safe working procedures for all cleaning activities. Ensuring that employees receive adequate information, instruction, training, and supervision. Investigating accidents, incidents, and near misses and implementing corrective actions. Allocating appropriate resources to support health and safety standards.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee of Harringay Cleaners shares responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Employees are expected to:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Follow all safety instructions, procedures, and training they have received. Use equipment, materials, and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately. Report accidents, incidents, near misses, and hazards without delay. Co operate with management to enable Harringay Cleaners to meet its legal and policy obligations.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We carry out risk assessments for all significant hazards associated with our cleaning services, including use of chemicals, manual handling, working at height for certain tasks, electrical equipment, and working on client premises. These assessments identify the risks and the measures required to eliminate or minimise them.
Safe systems of work are developed from these assessments and are communicated to all relevant employees. Procedures are regularly reviewed, particularly following any incident or change in working practices, equipment, or premises.
Use of Cleaning Chemicals and Substances
Cleaning products and substances are selected and used with safety as a primary consideration. Harringay Cleaners will:
Use only approved chemicals that are suitable for professional cleaning. Maintain up to date information on hazards and safe usage for all products. Ensure chemicals are correctly labelled and stored securely when not in use. Train staff on dilution, application, and safe disposal methods. Avoid mixing chemicals and strictly follow manufacturer and safety guidelines.
Employees must always wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and eye protection, when handling or decanting chemicals.
Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment is provided free of charge where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means. This may include gloves, masks, eye protection, footwear, and protective clothing suitable for the task and environment.
Employees are responsible for using PPE as instructed, keeping it in good condition, and reporting any damage, loss, or defects so that replacements can be arranged promptly.
Equipment Safety
All cleaning equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, floor machines, and electrical tools, is selected and maintained to ensure safe operation. Harringay Cleaners will ensure that:
Equipment is regularly inspected, serviced, and replaced when necessary. Electrical equipment is used with appropriate safety checks. Staff receive training in the correct use, handling, and transportation of equipment. Faulty equipment is taken out of service immediately and reported for repair or replacement.
Manual Handling and Physical Safety
Cleaning work may involve lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling equipment and materials. To reduce the risk of injury, we:
Provide manual handling training for employees. Plan work to minimise unnecessary lifting and carrying. Encourage the use of trolleys, handles, and other aids to reduce strain. Instruct staff to work at a comfortable pace and to seek assistance with heavy or awkward loads.
Working on Client Premises
When working at client locations, employees must respect and follow any site specific safety procedures and cooperate with client representatives. We will liaise with clients where necessary to understand any particular hazards on site, coordinate access, and agree safe systems of work.
Employees must take care to prevent slips, trips, and falls by using warning signs, controlling cables and equipment, and keeping work areas as clear as reasonably possible while cleaning is in progress.
Health, Welfare, and Training
Harringay Cleaners recognises that protecting physical and mental wellbeing is essential to a safe workplace. We promote good hygiene practices, provide information on safe working hours and rest breaks, and encourage employees to raise concerns at an early stage.
All staff receive induction training in health and safety, including emergency procedures, safe use of chemicals, and equipment operation. Refresher training is provided periodically and whenever there are significant changes to work processes or equipment.
Accidents, Emergencies, and First Aid
All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported as soon as possible. Harringay Cleaners investigates these reports to identify root causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence. Records are maintained in accordance with legal requirements.
Employees must familiarise themselves with emergency procedures for the premises in which they are working, including evacuation routes, assembly points, and location of first aid supplies where provided.
Monitoring, Review, and Policy Updates
This Health and Safety policy is monitored on an ongoing basis and reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective and appropriate for the nature of our cleaning services. Feedback from employees, clients, and other stakeholders is welcomed and used to improve our approach.
Harringay Cleaners is committed to continuous improvement, and all staff are expected to support the implementation of this policy in their daily work.
